ALBANY (January 11, 2010) -- The Massry Center for the Arts at The College of Saint Rose has been awarded LEED® Gold established by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) and verified by the Green Building Certification Institute, Saint Rose President Dr. R. Mark Sullivan announced today.

The Massry Center is Northeastern New York’s first non-residential new construction to be certified LEED Gold and, at 46,000 square feet, the largest. The designation certifies it as one of the region’s greenest and most energy-efficient buildings. Saint Rose achieved certification for energy use, lighting, water and material use as well as incorporating a variety of other sustainable development strategies.

“From the start, we at Saint Rose envisioned a building that would maximize energy efficiency and minimize waste. The Massry Center achieves all that and more. We are proud that this gleaming arts center has reached LEED Gold, the U.S. Green Building Council’s second highest rating. And, we are delighted that in just one year, this gem has become the Capital Region’s ‘go to’ place for the finest in music and art,” said President Sullivan.

Congressman Paul Tonko said: “I congratulate The College of Saint Rose on this important recognition, and for setting a bold example for the rest of the community to follow. Energy efficiency should be our fuel of choice – the savings we can achieve through the construction of new green buildings like the Massry Center and through retrofits of older facilities will lessen our dependence on fossil fuels, stretch and preserve our resources and provide for a better energy outcome.”

A centerpiece of the Massry Center’s energy efficiency is its geothermal environmental control system that heats, ventilates and cools the building without burning fossil fuels or requiring a noisy cooling tower. Saint Rose received technical assistance and $137,650 in financial support from the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) to develop the geothermal system, which is expected to make the building 48 percent more energy efficient than a comparable, conventionally constructed building.

“NYSERDA is proud to partner with Saint Rose in its green building project and applaud the college for investing in energy efficiency measures that will reduce its carbon footprint,” said Francis J. Murray Jr., President and CEO of NYSERDA. “By making this concrete commitment to energy efficiency, Saint Rose is setting an example for other colleges and institutions and helping New York realize Governor David Paterson’s vision of a cleaner, healthier New York in the future.”

“The City of Albany remains committed to sustainability tenets, and this award is illustrative of how a town and gown relationship – The College of Saint Rose and the City of Albany – can lead by example. On behalf of the citizens of our community, I offer my congratulations to all involved with this prestigious recognition,” said Mayor Gerald D. Jennings.

LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) is the nation’s preeminent program for the design, construction and operation of high-performance green buildings. By using less energy, water and virgin materials, LEED-certified buildings save money, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and contribute to a healthier environment.

“The green building movement offers an unprecedented opportunity to respond to the most important challenges of our time, including global climate change, dependence on nonsustainable and expensive sources of energy and threats to human health,” said Tracie Hall, executive director of USGBC’s New York Upstate Chapter. “The work of innovative building projects such as the Massry Center for the Arts at The College of Saint Rose is a fundamental driving force in the green building movement. This movement extends beyond the adverse impact of global climate change to the reality that LEED-certified buildings provide the best possible educational space for faculty and students. The Massry Center for the Arts epitomizes the College’s motto of passion, knowledge and purpose in a truly sustainable structure.”

•is heated and cooled by a geothermal HVAC system that originates in 40 wells, each reaching 450 feet beneath the Earth’s surface. The system cost approximately $300,000 more than a conventional HVAC. Estimated payback time: 3.3 years;

•uses no fossil fuel in heating or ventilation, and 35 percent of its electricity is supplied by wind or water power;

•used a significant quantity of recycled building material in its construction, including 78 percent of the steel frame, 70 percent of the wallboard and 15 percent of the concrete;

•recycled 98 percent of waste generated in its construction, with asphalt from the old parking lot ground up and used in the new parking lot and bricks and drywall hauled to the Port of Albany for recycling;

•harvests natural light and automatically increases and reduces lighting in classrooms and practice rooms in proportion to the level of natural light;

•uses American cherry and Patagonian cherry wood on doors and floors, grown on tree farms meeting renewable resource standards set by the Forest Stewardship Council;

•uses water-saving low-flow fixtures throughout.

The Massry Center for the Arts is named for the families of Morris and Norman Massry of Loudonville, who presented the College with a $2 million gift in December 2005. The Massrys’ gift is one of the largest ever received by the College and represents the families’ greatest single contribution to any organization or institution. The Picotte Recital Hall is named for the late Kathleen McManus Picotte of Albany, whose family presented the College with a substantial gift in November 2006. The College named the art gallery for Esther Massry in honor of her dedication to the arts, family and community.